1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the field of small arms ammunition and the like in general, and a specialty bullet adapted to deliver a tranquilizing fluid upon impact with its target, in particular.
2. Background Description
The tragic events of Sep. 11, 2001 in New York City, Washington, D.C. and elsewhere in the United States, have issued a wake up call to the free world. The circumstances leading to the terrorist takeover of commercial aircraft for the purpose of commandeering them to become xe2x80x9cguided missilesxe2x80x9d certainly reveals the extent to which civil disorder may be expected to continue for the foreseeable future. The bold presence of civil disorder is readily observable in both the public and private sectors, and bears witness daily to many blatant acts of lawlessness and terrorism. These unconscionable acts are unleashed upon the free world for any number of reasons, none of which can be justified or validated if they involve threatening harm to the innocent and unsuspecting general public. These activities represent major challenges to all those agencies charged with the ultimate responsibility for maintaining order.
The task now at hand is to prevent terrorists from killing themselves and taking as many as they can with them (leaving no witnesses). The time may also have come to challenge the xe2x80x9cman-stopping powerxe2x80x9d of current standard ammunition and firearms-use philosophy. These xe2x80x9cnew wavexe2x80x9d social problems will continue to grow within the world""s population at a rate generally proportionate to the separation of the world""s classes. The effects of uncertainty and fear will continue to threaten the many aspects of life we currently enjoy as free people in a free world. In particular, the threat of aircraft hijacking and other acts of terrorism, rebellion, lawlessness and war will call upon us to not just question the capabilities of conventional weapons and law enforcement techniques, but to re-evaluate them.
Because of the aforementioned issues, it is desirable to develop ammunition that will provide a much lower incidence rate of mishaps and fatalities resulting from bullet wounds in almost any given shooting situation. Characteristics of such an ammunition system should include reduced velocities and an intrinsic ability to produce much higher xe2x80x9chit survivability ratesxe2x80x9d over conventional ammunition. In addition, it is worth mentioning that the maiming and crippling effects of conventional ammunition would be drastically reduced as well.
Because of the aforementioned threats to public safety, law enforcement still needs to be provided with more options that are practicable and acceptable conclusive measures concerning public safety and requirements for commercial aircraft security systems. In particular, it is necessary to provide non-lethal solutions to security breach situations requiring the removal of a xe2x80x9cpublic threatxe2x80x9d from the private or public sector while maintaining the public safety as tantamount to the means of removal. It is easy to see the necessity or advantages of such a system in many situations that would call for the use of a firearm. This becomes obvious when there is a preference to capture the subject alive, as opposed to using deadly force. Of course, it is well recognized that it takes more than accuracy and luck to subdue a subject within a confined space such as an aircraft. This is but one example (albeit a most telling and ominous one) where the use of a revolutionary bullet system could have made a major difference in the events of the Sep. 11, 2001 tragedy. Although the destructive force of conventional firearm""s ammunition on board commercial airliners xe2x80x9cat altitudexe2x80x9d could present as great a threat to the passengers and crew as that they were deployed to avert, even that option was not available. This is especially true, now that federal aviation officials are considering a return to use of the xe2x80x9cair marshalxe2x80x9d aboard commercial aircraft and/or providing aircraft pilots with firearms to maintain aircraft security. Although the xe2x80x9cair marshalxe2x80x9d or xe2x80x9carmed pilotxe2x80x9d will no doubt be well trained in the use of firearms, there still remains the threat that the firearm could be inadvertently misused. Even when properly used, the threat exists that conventional ammunition when discharged from the firearm could pass right through, or miss entirely, its intended target and thus strike an innocent bystander. In extreme cases, such ammunition could tear through the aircraft""s fuselage, passenger seats and luggage or other critical aircraft components and thus endanger the lives of everyone involved. As such, there is an even greater need for the development of firearm ammunition that is capable of resolving a terrorist activity without the threat of causing even greater harm to surrounding passengers, crew, passersby and/or the infrastructure of the aircraft.
Presently, there is little that can match the raw effectiveness and man-stopping power of a conventional bullet as a deterrent in life-threatening situations. However, since conventional bullets do destroy life, tissue and bone structure, they also cause great collateral damage with the same effect (albeit unintentional) which can produce very undesirable results in certain circumstances. It is because of these circumstances and the xe2x80x9cknown capability of conventional bulletsxe2x80x9d that the law enforcement official becomes reluctant or unable to fire his weapon due to fear of killing the suspect and/or innocent bystanders. Even when the weapon is fired in such a situation using a conventional bullet the situation itself often produces a limited opportunity for the weapon to be precisely aimed. Under such circumstances xe2x80x9cthere is no guarantee but only a probabilityxe2x80x9d for obtaining the desired result. Therefore, there remains a need to develop ammunition that can subdue and/or immobilize the subject with a xe2x80x9chitxe2x80x9d placed almost anywhere on the body that will produce positive results while eliminating or greatly reducing the risks associated with the use of conventional bullets.
Products resulting from the development of a higher standard such as those referred to above can be expected to produce superior results by providing law enforcement with less lethal yet extremely effective deterrents to life-threatening situations. These measures can make huge inroads and contributions to the xe2x80x9cfront linexe2x80x9d agent, air marshal and policeman by affording them more options for gaining the advantage and controlling the situation at hand.
Other non-lethal devices and projectiles have been proposed and used previously in attempts to address the above-referenced issues. Such products include stun guns, tasers, and tranquilizer dart guns of various forms.
Stun guns are highly effective as personal defense devices and are capable of incapacitating an assailant in a hand-to-hand situation. As such they are specialty weapons, with extremely limited range capabilities (typically an arm""s length or less). When used properly within their effective range stun guns provide the upper hand to the user, but their limited range diminishes their effectiveness in many situations.
Tasers resemble a handgun in size and shape and have a maximum range of approximately 21 feet. Such weapons fire two darts, each of which must remain connected to the weapons cartridge by wire cables in order to transmit an electric charge and maintain the electric pulse required to incapacitate the recipient target. The darts and cables are contained in a single shot cartridge. Although, tasers are capable of penetrating through clothing they are only effective under the most ideal of circumstances. Tasers are not be very effective in crowded close quarters due to their wires and the necessity for both darts to strike and remain in contact with the recipient target.
Tranquilizer dart guns have proven themselves to be the hands-down favorite choice when there is a requirement to capture any type of wild or dangerous game. Such weapons are highly effective against any of the most dangerous of wild game planet earth has to offer. Regardless of the temperament or focus of the subject animal at the time it is shot, the results are consistent and very predictable. It is almost always within a matter of seconds that the subject animal becomes disoriented and its demeanor isolated and placid whereby the animal becomes possessed with the overwhelming desire to passively lay down and be dealt with according to the concerns of its captors. However, there are major drawbacks when attempting to deploy tranquilizer dart guns as an effective anti-terrorist or law enforcement tool mainly because they are extremely limited by their highly specialized delivery system requirements, which makes them unusually large, unwieldly and rarely available to participate in situations creating a demand for their being brought into action for immediate use.
In addition to the above, alternative ammunition types have also been proposed and patented, but each suffers from several significant disadvantages. In U.S. Pat. No. 3,584,582 to Muller (issued Jun. 15, 1971), a bullet cartridge is disclosed that includes a hypodermic needle designed to penetrate the bullet body and deliver a hypodermic medium payload (i.e., tranquilizing fluid) to the intended target. Only one embodiment of the Muller disclosure (the third embodiment) actually places the hypodermic medium in the forward portion of the bullet""s nose cavity. In that embodiment, the hypodermic needle includes a perforated needle plate that in turn is rigidly seated against a solid portion of the bullet (see FIGS. 6-8 of Muller). However, the Muller invention suffers the distinct disadvantage of a lack of integrity of the seated parts because the bullet""s inherent design anticipates major deformation of the very same material, in the very same area, where the parts are seated. That is, the perforated needle plate would tend to separate from the solid portion of the bullet due to: (1) the buildup of fluid pressure as the tranquilizing fluid is delivered through the hypodermic needle, and (2) the major deformations anticipated in the seat of the needle plate.
Another type of ammunition system for delivery of a tranquilizing fluid through a hypodermic needle encased inside a bullet is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,502,025 to Payne (issued Mar. 24, 1970). The invention disclosed in Payne reveals that the tranquilizing fluid is stored in the rear portion of the bullet (see FIGS. 1-2 of Payne) while the hypodermic needle is imbedded into the bullet material in the forward portion of the bullet. As such, Payne""s invention is limited in its effectiveness because the bullet material must be ductile enough to dissipate the full energy of the bullet""s impact, yet strong enough to support the needle in place while the tranquilizing fluid is forced from the rear of the bullet through the tip of the needle located at the tip of the bullet""s nose. It will be recognized that it is technically and practically unlikely that a bullet possessing the ballistic properties of a conventional round of ammunition, according to the Payne disclosure, can achieve the stated design goals without causing significant harm to the target (i.e., without tearing a hole through the target, thus defeating the purpose of the ammunition in the first place).
Based on the above issues, there still remains a need for a specialty bullet that can be fired from conventional firearms and that can deliver a tranquilizing fluid upon impact with a target in a manner that will disable and pacify the target without causing great harm to the target or to innocent bystanders or the surrounding area.
Based on the foregoing background, the purpose and intent of the bullet of the present invention is to render a threatening body unconscious or incapable of proceeding by way of direct injection of a drug (e.g. sodium pentothal, etc.). Whereby, the injected subject is overcome and given cause to be pacified, incapacitated and rendered unconscious, without causing great harm to the target, or surrounding area. Essentially, this invention is directed to a specialty bullet that is designed to transmit a tranquilizing fluid upon impact with a target for purposes of immobilizing the intended target. In a preferred embodiment, the specialty bullet is sized and shaped like that of a conventional bullet so that the specialty bullet can be used with conventional firearms. However, the disclosed invention is not limited to such a size and shape, and the concept described herein could work with innumerable types of ammunition. Based on the following description, it can be readily seen that such an invention can provide law enforcement officials with a non-lethal (or less than lethal) deterrent to life-threatening situations, including aircraft hijackings and other terrorist or unlawful activities. This concept is depicted schematically in the enclosed drawings.
The disclosed invention includes a so-called xe2x80x9ccollapsulexe2x80x9d bullet, which is a molded, hollow cavity that is filled with a tranquilizing fluid. Preferably, the xe2x80x9ccollapsulexe2x80x9d is fabricated using a high-strength malleable plastic polymer. The bullet is fitted with a so-called xe2x80x9cinjectile,xe2x80x9d which is a hypodermic injection spike (to transmit the tranquilizing fluid) that is backed and driven by an inertia base mass (i.e., lead core) located at the base of the bullet. Note that the term xe2x80x9ccollapsule(trademark)xe2x80x9d is a derivative of the terms xe2x80x9ccollapsexe2x80x9d and xe2x80x9ccapsule,xe2x80x9d while the term xe2x80x9cinjectile(trademark)xe2x80x9d is a derivative of the terms xe2x80x9cinjectionxe2x80x9d and xe2x80x9cprojectile.xe2x80x9d In addition to those terms and addressing the function of the dynamic inertia base to shed mass in the form of a liquid and/or a secondary means of incapacitation the applicant also seeks recognition of the term xe2x80x9cFluid Activated Repulsive Trauma(trademark)xe2x80x9d (F.A.R.T.(trademark)). The applicant is asserting intellectual property rights, including trademark protection, to those terms. Further, the applicant refers to this concept collectively as xe2x80x9cPassive Action Security Systems(trademark)xe2x80x9d (P.A.S.S.(trademark)), to which he also asserts trademark rights. Nevertheless, these terms do not place any limitations on the scope or breadth of the inventive concept or on the potential for applications of the invention outside the meaning of those terms.
The unique predictable characteristics of the specialty bullet casing to collapse into the form of a flange or mushroom upon impact creates a tendency for the bullet""s energy to be distributed radially and uniformly to the targeted body. Due to this radial and uniform distribution of energy, and the bullet""s having, xe2x80x9ccollapsedxe2x80x9d and delivered a high-speed injection of its payload into the recipient, the spent xe2x80x9cbulletxe2x80x9d simply lacks sufficient energy to penetrate further. Also, by not having destroyed body tissue, as would a conventional bullet, the nerves within and surrounding the point of impact are free to feel the blow, and associated pain, sufficient enough to contribute heavily to shock-trauma disorientation and distraction.
The aforementioned xe2x80x9cshock-traumaxe2x80x9d will also make a very strong and positive contribution towards speeding the injected drug into effect, due to the expected heart rate increase experienced by the target after having learned one has just been shot. Therefore, a xe2x80x9chitxe2x80x9d placed almost anywhere on a recipient body will produce a sudden halt to the evil plans and objectives contained therein but the body itself is merely put to sleep. Also in situations where one must xe2x80x9cshoot first and ask questions later,xe2x80x9d there will be an opportunity to get answers xe2x80x9clater.xe2x80x9d Depending upon the drug or tranquilizer used and the degree of potency desired, the reaction time for the subject to be overcome would vary but should compete within the range of expectations for conventional ammunition.
Advantages provided by the inventive concept disclosed herein over that of conventional ammunition include a wider range of shooting situations that would otherwise prohibit one from taking the shot for fear of striking innocent bystanders. This is especially true of train and bus stations, malls, and airline terminals or on board aircraft xe2x80x9cat altitudexe2x80x9d yet these are the very place lawbreakers and terrorists seek as targets and/or shelter. Where conventional copper and lead bullets travel at xe2x80x9csupersonic velocitiesxe2x80x9d averaging between 1000 and 1600 fps and where the concept disclosed herein is, in embodiments, xe2x80x9csub-sonicxe2x80x9d with an average velocity of 600 fps or less. Where also, the bullet casing of the present invention collapses into the form of a flange or mushroom or other deformable shape upon impact. Further, where the xe2x80x9csub-sonicxe2x80x9d bullet""s energy is distributed radially and uniformly over a larger area of the targeted body than conventional bullets. And furthermore, due to this radial and uniform distribution of energy, and the bullet having collapsed and xe2x80x9cshed considerable massxe2x80x9d by means of its operation upon impact, the spent xe2x80x9cbulletxe2x80x9d simply lacks sufficient energy to penetrate further. It is with consideration of these facts that make the spent bullet of the present invention is xe2x80x9chighly unlikelyxe2x80x9d to have remaining energy sufficient enough to penetrate through an aircraft""s fuselage, passenger seats, luggage or other critical aircraft componentsxe2x80x9d. With further observation, it becomes apparent that the disclosed invention will provide significant reductions in mortality rates and the crippling/maiming effects already attributed to conventional bullets. By further comparison, is the fact that a xe2x80x9chitxe2x80x9d placed almost anywhere on a recipient body will still deliver the tranquilizing fluid with the same virtual effect (albeit temporary) as a mortal blow delivered by a conventional bullet. Moreover, through use of the injectile or spike as disclosed herein, there is also a likelihood that the disclosed invention could be effectively deployed against a bulletproof vest and/or other types of body armor with greater effects than conventional bullets.